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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fan · root · deal · land · mug · jam · current · net

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. root — of a word
  4. land — to come down
  5. current — electric
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. mug — a face
  8. land — a country
  9. current — happening now
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. deal — to handle
  13. mug — to rob
  14. net — after costs
  15. land — ground
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. net — for catching
  18. mug — a cup
  19. root — the cause
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. root — of a plant
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. net — in sport
  24. fan — a supporter

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com